It has been a good year for beetroot. It has also been a fabulous year for oranges.
Too fabulous for many of the farmers as bumper crops have lowered prices domestically whilst the high Australian dollar has seen export sales plummet. After years of drought and pests it is the dollar which is currently causing citrus growers pain amid something of an orange glut. It seems that my daily juice is not enough and so I have been looking for other ways to use oranges and indeed to encourage others to use oranges. Today’s enticement is Beetroot & Orange Jam.
Beetroot & Orange Jam
Note: The below recipe makes enough for one small jar – I have written the recipe in a small quantity to show it can easily be made with one medium beetroot. If you have more beetroots it would make sense to double, triple, or quadruple the amounts given here.
- 200g beetroot peeled and finely grated. (I use the same size grater as I do for Parmesan cheese).
- 200g sugar
- 2 oranges
- 200ml water
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional – this amount works as a flavour enhancer rather than adding any real heat to the jam – if you are unconvinced then pls omit)
Zest one of the oranges and reserve the zest. Cut the oranges in half and juice them retaining the empty orange skin. Place the water, grated beetroot, orange juice and orange skin halves into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer until the beetroot has cooked – about 1/2 hour. Remove the orange skin and add the sugar and chilli powder if using. Bring back to the boil and cook until the mixture thickens and reaches setting point. Stir in the zest, cook for another minute or so. Pour into sterilised jars and seal.
I enjoy this jam with both sweet and savoury things. It is good on toast or on scones (I keep thinking I must try it on pumpkin scones) but it is also good with cheese and cold meat.
To see what others are doing to preserve their seasonal produce head over to the Garden of Eden.
